maleficent

Have you ever met someone, and just knew that they were the oldest child, or an only child based on their personality? In some cases, your birth order in your family, plays a factor in your personality.

Which are you, and how true is it?


Oldest Child
In school, first-borns tend to work harder for grades than do later-borns. They often grow to be more competitive and to have higher educational and career aspirations. Any enumeration of prominent people, eminent scholars, even presidents of the United States contains a high percent of first-borns.

Here are some personality traits that are common in first-borns:

Confident: All that attention over everything you do makes you more likely to believe in yourself.

Determined: Because your family might depend on you to get things done, you're probably good about finishing the projects you start.

Born Leader: Whether on the soccer field or in the classroom, you are often in charge. Oldest children are usually given the responsibility of baby-sitting and taking care of the house, so they get early training in being the boss.

Organized: You probably know where to find things, like your books, your Mom's keys, or your homework assignment. Even if your folders are a little messy, it's likely that you have a system.

Eager to Please: It's easy for oldest children to fall into this routine because they started out with a very strong need for Mom and Dad's approval, and eventually this spilled over to other adults such as teachers or coaches. When there's a job to be done, it's usually a first-born who jumps up and says "I'll do it!"

Likes to Avoid Trouble: When people expect a great deal from you, it can be hard to speak up or complain about something. You might not want to be seen as causing problems or less than "perfect."

Middle Children
A good description of middle children is balanced. Middle children are good mediators and have superior cooperation skills. They don't have their parents all to themselves or get their own way. Therefore, they learn to negotiate and compromise. Middle children often make excellent managers and leaders because of these skills.

Here are some personality traits that are common in middle children:

Roll with It: Middle children often handle disappointments better. Say you strike out in softball and lose the game. If you were a first-born, you might feel guilty all day, but if you're a middle child, you'll probably find yourself just laughing it off.

Great Negotiator: Middles can be great at seeing both sides of an issue. After all, they're in the perfect place for it!

Lots of Loyal Friends: Middles tend to make friends easily. Once they have them, they often work harder to keep them. They're usually good at keeping secrets, too.

Youngest Children
Youngest children in the family are typically outgoing and great at motivating other people. They are also affectionate, uncomplicated and sometimes a little absent minded.

Studies show that babies of the family gravitate toward vocations that are people oriented. Good sales people are often last borns.
Here are some personality traits that are common in youngest children:

Persistent: When it comes to a goal, many youngests just won't give up!

A Great Storyteller: Whether it's true or not, youngest kids can spin a mighty good yarn.

Affectionate: Youngest children often have plenty of hugs and kisses to give out.


Only Children "Only children" spend a lot of time with grown-ups, so they can often be confident and well-spoken. Sometimes people even think of them as "little adults"! At the same time, they can find themselves under a ton of pressure to succeed.

Here are some common personality traits of "only children":

Confident: Only children are usually not afraid to make decisions and are comfortable with their opinions.

Pays Attention to Detail: They like things to be organized and are often on time.

Good in School: Onlies tend to read a lot and have a good memory for facts and figures.

It's MINE!: Only children might have difficulty sharing or going second because they have always been first in line for everything.

Overly Critical: While being a perfectionist is not such a bad thing, you may have a tendency to take this to extremes and be really critical of yourself and others.

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